5 Ways to reverse your Biological Age

As a 23 year old male, worrying about my ageing body has been a very low priority for me in the past years. Instead of worrying about the effects a diet of beer and burritos may have had on my body, I adopted the “I can do it while I’m young” mentality. Unfortunately for me (and my peers who observe a similar philosophy), the body doesn’t really work like that. The body responds in a very logical manner, in the sense that if you treat it poorly, it will function poorly.

After taking Thorbjörg’s “What is your Biological Age Test,” I was absolutely terrified of myself. As a 23 year old, my true age was way above 60! In disbelief I accused the test of falsifying my age, but then I really thought about it. My body creaks, my muscles ache, and if I eat a plate of hot wings I can’t sleep thanks to my heartburn. Apparently this is not supposed to happen in my early 20s.

So I dived into Thorbjörg’s book 10 Years Younger in 10 Weeks, frantically searching for salvation. From its pages I’ve selected 5 quick things that might help me slow down my ageing process.

Green Tea

This is an easy one to handle. According to Thorbjörg, it’s alright to drink 1-2 small cups of coffee a day, but when you’re pounding 4 super-sized cups a day, you’re not doing yourself a favor. Following Thorbjörg’s lead, I’ve started replacing a large percentage of my coffee habit with green tea. There are way too many benefits to drinking green tea to not make the switch. It boosts your metabolism and prevents cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Plus, if you want to be adventurous, try making a sparkling green tea.

With all the benefits of Green Tea, it’s tough to find a reason not to use it as a coffee substitute.

Bathtub time

Here’s a new habit I can support. Thorbjörg is a strong advocate for taking revitalizing baths using Epsom salts to soothe soar muscles. So if you’re lucky and have access to a tub, take some time and relax in the bath. Bring your e-reader, light a candle, throw on some Enya, and unwind. If you’re like me and will most likely get a mocked by your friends for doing this, tell them that the Icelandic Anti-ageing Queen has prescribed it for your health!

Taking a bath using bath salts is a great way to detox and regain your youth. Plus, it’s just plain good to take a relaxing bath for your own sake, mentally and physically.

Miso soup

If you don’t know what miso soup is, you might recognize it as that cloudy liquid side dish you sometimes get if you’re ordering sushi. I’ve always been a fan of Miso soup but never made it myself because: A) I thought it would be hard to make, and B) I thought it might be an unhealthy treat. Turns out, both of these assumptions were very false. There are few things that are easier than making Miso soup. I bought a small packet of instant miso soup at my supermarket (cheaply, I might add), and all I had to do was boil some water, add the mixture, and I was good to go. Miso soup is also a great source of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, dietary fiber, and a variety of nutrients. What this science means is that it can help prevent those creaky sounds your body isn’t supposed to make, and much more. It’s the perfect snack choice for that minute you’re craving chips, but know you shouldn’t eat them.

Miso soup is a great snack alternative for when you are feeling peckish. It’s easy to make, good for you, and relatively cheap!

Keep your digestion in check

“A good digestive system is a gift from God.” These are Thorbjörg’s words from her “How is your digestion” quiz. Again, before taking the quiz, I thought my digestion was fine. Without getting into too many details—I was wrong. So now I’ve started including certain products in my diet to help cleanse out all of the gunk that’s been building up in my 23-year-old senile body. One of these is to eat fermented dairy products, such as yogurt. You should be eating some yogurt daily for your digestion’s sake. Plus it tastes delicious, so it’s a win-win. If you are lactose intolerant, try drinking fermented vegetable juices instead.

Good digestion is crucial if you want to have a youthful body. Thorbjörg has a variety of advice concerning how to improve your digestive functions.

No sugar

This is the tough one—cut out sugar. Honestly, when I first saw this I thought it would be impossible to do. But Thorbjörg has personally assured me that the benefits of going sugar-free far outweigh eating a single donut. On top of that, I have encountered quite a few people that have gone the sugar free route, and the physical changes are unfathomable. There are three big reasons why Thorbjörg targets sugar as the enemy:

Sugar is converted to fat on your body, an instant ageing factor.

Sugar is converted to saturated fat in the liver. This can lead to high cholesterol levels. You’ve probably been told that fat was the main cause of high cholesterol, but sugar is the one who’s really at fault.

Sugar has a tendency to attach to cells in your bloodstream. Thorbjörg compares it to a layer of caramel covering your cells. Now imagine having to do a physical or cognitive function while a layer of caramel is slowing your cells down—not an ideal scenario, but still one we sugar users opt into everyday.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Thorbjörg, it’s that sugar is sneaky. It can hide in a multitude of products you wouldn’t expect. Take a look at your food’s nutritional tables before you consume.

Everyone keeps telling me that I need to enjoy my 20’s, but it seems I’ve bypassed the next four decades. So I’m going to have to start following these techniques (and maybe more) so I don’t miss out on these fun years. These are just a few ways to keep your body young, or even reverse the clock. If you really want to learn more on how to revitalize your body, and start a natural anti-ageing program, I suggest you check out 10 Years Younger in 10 Weeks for more details. It makes for a great read in the bathtub.

Philip Trampe is a Dane who has grown up in America and China, and now has returned to Denmark. He shares his thoughts through a unique multicultural perspective. Follow him on Google+ and Twitter at @philiptrampe